WINNSBORO – A relentless ground attack proved too much for Richard Winn to overcome on Friday night, as the Eagles dropped a 39-16 decision to visiting Newberry Academy.
The Eagles (0-2) found themselves playing catch-up early. Newberry leaned heavily on junior tailback Javon Conway, who spearheaded the ground assault with 260 yards and five touchdowns on 27 carries.
Compounding the challenge for Richard Winn was a first half plagued by stalled drives and turnovers. Newberry took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter before stretching the margin to 19-0 by halftime.
Despite facing a steep deficit, the Eagles refused to go away quietly in the second half.
Coming out of the break, Richard Winn’s offense found its rhythm, putting together sustained drives to cross the goal line in both the third and fourth quarters. In typical 8-man football fashion, the Eagles cashed in on both touchdown opportunities by converting a pair of two-point conversions, putting up eight points in each of the final two frames.
The Eagles’ defense also produced bright spots, completely shutting down Newberry’s aerial attack. Richard Winn limited the visitors to just a single pass completion for 26 yards all night and picked off Newberry quarterback W. Chocklett. However, Conway’s steady production on the ground kept Newberry in front, capping their scoring with two touchdowns in the third quarter and a final score in the fourth.
Richard Winn will look to bounce back and pick up its first win of the season this Friday, Sept. 11, when the Eagles hit the road to face Cathedral Academy (1-2) in North Charleston. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.